Oreya

Oreya was founded by the ancestors of the Moon Elves. It's a beacon of civilisation in a sprawling silver forest. It was created to live in harmony with the forest. A lot of mystery surrounds this polis, as most non-natives rarely brave the wilds surrounding it, and even more rarely are allowed into the city. The city itself is a marvel of architecture. Silver wooden buildings with intricate designs weaved between the trees of the forest. It is protected, not by a physical wall of stone or wood, but a magical barrier kept by the Moon elf sages that act as spiritual leaders of the city. Besides the city several smaller settlements and outposts are spread throughout the woods.

Gender in Oreya

Moon Elves believe that women become heroes through martial exploits, while men do so by finding their own way in the world. As a result, the polis is populated mostly by women and children.
When young men reach the age of fourteen, their rites of passage culminate in a journey called peregrination, where they wander the world until they find a new place to call home. The few men who reside permanently in Oreya live in the Amatrophon, training and caring for the animals there. Some of these men never peregrinated, but others left and then returned to Oreya.
The women of the polis form a tight-knit community where property is held in common. There is no marriage, and ancestry is traced matrilineally.
Despite the very different roles played by men and women, Oreyans are flexible when it comes to any individual's place in that structure. Some men set out on peregrination after spending a number of years identified as women, and some women return from peregrination (or never undertake it) after a period of realization. Some people move fluidly between roles, and a few choose a special role that Moon Elves view as standing outside the dichotomy of gender, living in Ophis Tower.
The warriors of Ophis Tower are martially trained as women are but wander the world as men do. They gather information for the Ruling Council, search out routes for peregrination (including identifying sympathetic individuals and households who will mentor young men at the start of their journeys), and rescue lost and abandoned children from other communities, bringing them back to Oreya.

Current state

Oreya is led by its elders. They form The Moonlit Council consisting of military leaders, sages, and druids that convene to decide on the workings of the city and its surroundings. These elders are usually women, but it is not unheard of that men rise into its ranks The laws that exist are rather lax, relatively speaking, but criminals are often treated harshly. The council's first and foremost concern is keeping the grove peaceful. They are assisted by their military and grovekeepers (city guards) to do so.

Defenders and the Five Towers

Oreyan military forces are organized into four major regiments, each associated with a fortress tower.

• B'assara Tower. The tower of the fox stands near the Summer Nexus and watches for interlopers who enter the Nessian Wood without permission. During their training, troops there focus on archery and guerrilla tactics. Their leader is Niketa, a woman in her fifties who spends most of her time in the tower since she parted ways with her dryad partner.

• Hyrax Tower. The tower of the falcon lies on the ridge near the Autumn Nexus. Its regiment includes contingents of scouts and falconers. Its leader is Phaedra, a nineteen-year-old half sun-elf master falconer and orphan from Sitira who was rescued by the Ophis regiment.

• Lei'na Tower. The tower of the lion stands near Apsidos' temple at the heart of Oreya. Its regiment, led by the hero Anthousa, is dedicated to the defense of the polis and the training of its children. The Lei'na warriors favor double-edged axes.

• Ger'thra Tower. The tower of the serpent nestles at the center of Setessa. Its wandering warriors travel the world, working on behalf of the Moonlit Council. Their leader is Kallias, who was sold into slavery as a child. They lost an eye and several fingers before they were rescued and brought to Setessa, where they have devoted themselves to saving others in a similar plight.

• Tal'vani Tower. The tower of the elk stands near the Caryatid Groves and houses the Amazons. The elite warriors are led by a young woman named Lorelei, who followed into her mother's footsteps after she perished at the hands of cyclopes.

The “Little Cubs” of Oreya

Children in Oreya are reared by the polis as a whole and treated with the highest respect; their welfare is paramount and their training is a significant part of every warrior's occupation. According to the Moon elves, orphans and abandoned children are sacred to Apsidos, so they are brought into the city and tended just as Setessa's own children are. This is how most of Oreya's non-moon elf population is formed.
In contrast to the discipline associated with educating children in other poleis, Oreyan youngsters enjoy tremendous freedom. Called arkulli, meaning "little cubs," they are welcome anywhere in the city. They often wander in and out of the temples, training grounds, the hall of the Moonlit Council, the market, and anywhere else their paths take them. Such freedom is meant to cultivate a curious spirit and help the children find the path they're most interested in following later in life.

Features of Setessa

Oreyan fuses nature and civilization into a single living organism. The polis extends from a huge tree at its center, like the rings of a still larger tree. A dense circle of vegetation forms the city's outer wall, with the treetops magically woven together to create a barrier against intruders. Expertly trained archers stand guard on platforms nestled among the upper branches. Inside these natural walls, patches of thick forest alternate with open spaces where the Oreyans build their homes and civic buildings amid the trees. Out of deference to Ikanos, the residents of Oreya never construct a building that isn't absolutely necessary, and their homes and buildings are seamlessly integrated into the environment, with magic coaxing vegetation to weave together into walls or roofs.
Temple to Apsidos In the very center of the city is the temple to Apsidos, patron of Oreya. As opposed to other cultures, moon elves don't portray the god as male, but as genderless. Three ancient trees grow from an earthen rise and spiral around the heart of the city. The temple, built of glittering limestone, nestles amid the massive trunks. Strong magical wards protect the temple. All manner of civic functions are based in the temple, and most of them are carried out by Apsidos' attendants. These attendants serve as healers, advisors, teachers, chroniclers, and oracles.
Nexuses of the Seasons Four holy sites, corresponding to the four seasons, stand in or near the polis and serve as temples—primarily for the rites of Apsidos, but also to the other gods to an extent. The four nexuses are each distinct in their own ways.

• Spring Nexus. Associated with Asteia, the Spring Nexus is located in a lavish garden just behind her temple in the city of Oreya. A large arch of vines and flowers leads into the nexus itself and stays fresh and green all year long. Spring is the most celebratory time for Oreya—a time for planting and hope. Worshipers leave gifts for both Asteia and Apsidos here.

• Summer Nexus. Located in an olive grove west of the city proper, the Summer Nexus is covered by a leafy green canopy. As a shelter from summer's heat, the nexus is a favorite resting spot for people and animals alike, and Apsidos and Zestasia are worshiped here.

• Autumn Nexus. Near the southern edge of Oreya, in an orchard filled with golden apples, a small cave behind a basalt arch holds a perpetually burning flame. Priestesses keep a strict rotation to ensure the fire never goes out, as it represents Sitiros' fire that keeps the world warm through the colder seasons and allows the autumn harvest.

• Winter Nexus. At the eastern edge of Oreya hides a rocky cave that was once a lion's den. The cave contains a burial ground and is rumored to lead all the way into the underworld. Oreyan children occasionally dare each other to see who can make it the farthest into the cave, but the morbid atmosphere usually sends the children scurrying back before long. Oreyans come here to worship Kionis and Katalix, paying respects to the dead or hoping to fend off death for a while yet.

Abora Market The Abora Market is a giant, open-air market just inside the main eastern gate of Oreya. Every day it is thronged with citizens buying and selling food, crafts, and curiosities. On the seven days surrounding the full moon, outsiders are even allowed into the market, though they are still prohibited from roaming the rest of the polis. Visitors who try to explore beyond the market are typically banned from the polis and must forfeit any goods they brought into the city.
The most impressive part of the market is the raptor hall, where falconers show off the trained raptors available for sale. Hunters all over Aeseron come to buy famous Oreyan falcons.
Caryatid Groves Scattered throughout the city are several groves that are sacred to Apsidos and Ikanos, made up of slender trees with almost humanlike forms. It is said that whoever enters one of these sacred groves in search of peace will find it—and take root, becoming part of the grove. The trees here are caryatids, capable of animating in defense of the groves or the city (as animated trees) but otherwise resting in silent stillness.

Amazonian Warriors

The hunters and warriors of Oreya are renowned and admired throughout Aeseron. Especially so their force of elite warriors consisting entirely of female presenting people, the Amazons. These experts in both ranged and melee combat are chosen in youth and dedicate their life to honing their combat skills. They operate mainly in smaller strike forces. Every Amazon bonds to an Elafi elk, a species of intelligent, giant, grey- or black-furred deer, after they finish their initial training. They bond for life, and if either rider or mount is killed, the other goes into a prolonged period of mourning.

Religion

The Moon Elves of Oreya worship only one of the Primes: Apsidos. They believe he is the one who led them to salvation by showing them the way to Oreya. Other than Apsidos, many moon elves subscribe to a more druidic worship of the spirits of nature. They often have a reverence for fae, and regard Phaedran quite highly.

Symbols and Iconography

The Moon Elves mainly use the crescent moon as a symbol, but also images of silver trees are seen frequently.